# Waddaya do and waddya earn for it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 19, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809 "2001-01-19T04:19:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Zappo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b3f665/32.png) [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/41 "2001-01-19T15:03:42Z")
I’m an attorney for a state government employee pension fund, making about $50K per year. It’s a nice change from my previous job, which was my own private law practice. You might have seen me on TV in the late afternoons: “Have you been injured in an accident? Well then, somebody somewhere owes you money!” :rolleyes: It was interesting work but after three years of it I decided to take a 10% pay cut to avoid having to make a $9000 nut every month for office rent and expenses. Regards, Zappo ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/42 "2001-01-19T15:04:33Z")
Well, my business card says “Technical and Marketing Editor.” In theory, I check, if not write, every English document my company produces. In practice, I read the SDMB all day. $54,000 On the weekends, I perform weddings for $150 a pop, which pushes my total up to about $70-75,000. I also do some occasional freelance writing projects for about $2-3,000/year. –sublight. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/43 "2001-01-19T16:07:54Z")
Director of Marketing for a medium sized publishing house. $65K plus bonuses and options. It’s not a bad life, but it took some time to get here. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/44 "2001-01-19T16:18:11Z")
Hey **oldscratch** , but you only make that if the cheapass cuustomers tip as they should, right? And what are the taxes on that? (JK - of course.) Me, lawyer for US gov’t. Currently $86,785 per annum. Now the interesting question to me is why I felt a need/desire to tell all of you folks my salary? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/45 "2001-01-19T16:28:31Z")
Web traffic log analyzer and general computer-geek-on-patrol for the ecommerce division of a Fortune 500 company. $55k a year plus etc. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/46 "2001-01-19T16:35:45Z")
Let’s see, the business card says “Software Development Engineer”. Salary’s around $86K/year, but my stock options bring in way more than that every year. I’m completely bored with this job, the SDMB is the only thing that gets me through most days, but I can’t afford to quit… at least until I’m fully vested! ---
**Author:** ![Chef\_Troy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/85f322/32.png) [@Chef\_Troy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chef_Troy)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/47 "2001-01-19T16:38:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jonathan Chance \* > \*\*Director of Marketing for a medium sized publishing house. > > $65K plus bonuses and options. > > It’s not a bad life, but it took some time to get here. \*\* Hey amigo. Buddy. Pal. Wanna see some manuscripts to pass on to the editors? _grin_ Oh, and as for the OP, I’m a Senior Writer/Editor for a trade association, making $36,750 a year. Which is below market average but I spend 4 hours a day surfing the Net, so on an hourly basis I’m well taken care of. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/48 "2001-01-19T16:43:02Z")
Up until last week I was doing techincal support for a bunch of moronic end users and was making $35,000. This week I just started a new position managing our EDI server and now I make $45,000. ---
**Author:** ![nineiron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e56c9b/32.png) [@nineiron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nineiron)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/49 "2001-01-19T16:58:36Z")
Catholic High School Teacher. In my 8th year there–$24,000ish. Pretty sad, I know. ---
**Author:** ![Clairmont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@Clairmont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clairmont)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/50 "2001-01-19T16:59:17Z")
I’m an instrument technician working for a large chemical company. I earn $28 per hour. Hey, it’s a living. ---
**Author:** ![Treycal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/839c29/32.png) [@Treycal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treycal)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/51 "2001-01-19T17:18:46Z")
Supervisor, Energy Forecasting for an electrical utility. Salary is $62K annually (Cdn) plus bonuses ---
**Author:** ![Medea\_s\_Child](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Medea\_s\_Child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Medea_s_Child)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/52 "2001-01-19T17:23:22Z")
I’m a student. When I need money during school I’m a telemarketer for non profit orgs. (I usually hit around $10/hr from commissions.) This last summer I was an intern at a metallurgical lab…and loved it. Great work and they over paid me. (“Hi, I’d like some unskilled college student to make copies and bumble around for four months. $3600/mo.”) $22/hr and I got to wander around and ask as many questions about any process I wanted to for months. If I go back this summer I get a raise. ---
**Author:** ![vandal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/858c86/32.png) [@vandal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vandal)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/53 "2001-01-19T17:31:19Z")
I work internal technical support for a top tier shipping company, which pays $30,720 gross. I work a lot of overtime though, so add a couple extra grand in there. ---
**Author:** ![Silo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ac91a4/32.png) [@Silo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/54 "2001-01-19T17:43:15Z")
Aside form being a Computer science student, I do all kinds of construction stuff - machine operate, dig, shoot grades, electrical work, pipe installation, clearing, tree removal, landscaping, demolition, etc… I do a LOT of different things at work, but it keeps it interesting. (Besides, I get paid to work out! :)…) I work outside - about 95% of the time, in differing locations. My pay is $12-$15 an hour - no taxes, and all expenses are paid for. Keeps me in bloomers! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/55 "2001-01-19T18:25:40Z")
I’m a nuclar medicine technologist. I run a one camera diagnostic office for a cardiology group. 60k/year I lost about 20k/year when I stopped pulling call at a local hopital a few months ago. It was well worth it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Melpomene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/0ea827/32.png) [@Melpomene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melpomene)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/56 "2001-01-19T18:40:31Z")
I’m a lot of things. Actress ~ Still in undergrad, so I get paid $0 PT Student ~ I pay them $2000/semester give-or-take Adminstrative Assistant for an intellectual property consulting firm ~ $27,500/year including life insurance, full benefits, 2+ weeks paid vacation each year, paid OT and a place where there is so little for me to do, I can play online all day long. 😃 If I wasn’t such an overly-self-analytical depressed anxiety-ridden worrywart who is bad with money and just wants to be a full-time theatre student, I would be pretty damn well off for being a single person. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Quadzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/a4c791/32.png) [@Quadzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quadzilla)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/57 "2001-01-19T18:54:06Z")
Right now, I’m a peer advisor for the Freshman Interest Groups program at a Big 12 university in the Midwest. I get 85% of my room/board paid for, and live in a double room all by my lonesome 😃 However, they only give me 7 meals. I also work as a private French tutor for a local family that wants their kids (9, 7, and 5) to learn how to speak and read French. I’m paid $15/hour, and work 4 hours/week, so that means… um… $1600 per year? For me, that’s damn good. Saving up for the lean times ahead associated with the American public education system’s salaries ☹ ---
**Author:** ![katie1341](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/91b2a8/32.png) [@katie1341](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katie1341)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/58 "2001-01-19T18:56:33Z")
Lawyer, I am a public defender, and I am actually one of the better-paid ones, probably. I make about $70K. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/59 "2001-01-19T19:38:13Z")
I’m a mechanical designer, with no college, just 1 year of drafting school. I earn around $50k/yr, plus overtime of about $5k-10k. Benefits, 401k, all that. I like it a lot, too. ---
**Author:** ![Gunslinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4491bb/32.png) [@Gunslinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gunslinger)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2001, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809/60 "2001-01-19T19:57:00Z")
Nothing, and nothing. I need to get a job to pay for the car, though (if only I lived in Richmond, VA…). Somebody hire me! Please! > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Medea’s Child \* > \*\*This last summer I was an intern at a metallurgical lab…and loved it. Great work and they over paid me. (“Hi, I’d like some unskilled college student to make copies and bumble around for four months. $3600/mo.”) $22/hr and I got to wander around and ask as many questions about any process I wanted to for months. \*\* Do they need any more? 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/waddaya-do-and-waddya-earn-for-it/50809.md?page=4)